All 22 Indian crew members aboard a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker were reported safe after the vessel was subjected to a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on October 9, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Saturday.
“On Oct 9, Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT GEM NO. 2, carrying a crew of 22 Indian nationals, was subjected to a drone attack at Sharjah Anchorage. I am relieved to share that all 22 of our Indian seafarers onboard are reported to be completely safe,” the minister wrote.
In a post on X, Sonowal said the government was continuously monitoring the situation and was in contact with the ship management company to ensure the security and well-being of the Indian seafarers aboard the vessel, MT GEM NO. 2.
He added that the authorities were coordinating with the company managing the vessel to ensure the crew's safety. Sonowal did not identify those responsible for the attack or provide further details about the circumstances of the incident.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over the safety of commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region and the Black Sea, where attacks on shipping have prompted calls for greater international cooperation to protect maritime trade and crew members.
INDIA STEPS UP FOCUS ON MARITIME SAFETY
The incident comes as India pushes for greater international coordination to safeguard commercial shipping and seafarers. According to a report by ANI, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday highlighted the objectives of the newly formed Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF on S4).
The initiative aims to bring together countries involved in commercial shipping and the maritime industry, as well as those with significant seafaring communities, to strengthen cooperation on maritime security.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the group's objective was to place the safety of commercial shipping and seafarers at the centre of international discussions and prevent attacks that disrupt maritime trade.
The group's first meeting was held in New York and was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Liberian Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, with 25 countries participating, ANI reported.
India and Liberia, which jointly lead the initiative, had also condemned attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region and its vicinity, as well as the Black Sea. The two countries called for an immediate cessation of such attacks, warning that they disrupt maritime trade and endanger lives.
India, a major source of seafarers, is working with Liberia, which hosts the world's largest shipping registry by tonnage, to improve coordination and strengthen protections for merchant mariners.
Source: India Today